DeZoort, Hitchner advance to today’s Four Ball semifinals

The young dynamic duo of Jake Dezoort and Tyler Hitchner advanced to the semifinals of the 31st State Four Ball Championship at NorthRiver Yacht Club on Saturday.

By Manal YousifSpecial to The Tuscaloosa News

TUSCALOOSA | The young dynamic duo of Jake Dezoort and Tyler Hitchner advanced to the semifinals of the 31st State Four Ball Championship at NorthRiver Yacht Club on Saturday.Starting off the round of 16, DeZoort and Hitchner eliminated the team of Grant Walker and Stan Sherlin in match play. “We played better today and we made more birdies in those 14 holes than we did yesterday, so we definitely putted better,” DeZoort said.DeZoort and Hitchner matched Steve Hudson and Robert Nelson in the quarterfinals Saturday afternoon. They said they felt the pressure going into the round, which turned out to be a bit more challenging. “Mr. Nelson and Mr. Hudson are great gentleman and really good players that we kind of underestimated,” Hitchner said.DeZoort described how they had trouble on the front nine but also had the luck of “gimme birdies” on the back.“We had a couple of magical shots, but our opponents played fantastic and it could have gone either way, so we are fortunate it went our way,” DeZoort said.The hometown favorites had never played a match play event and were pleased with how their game was excelling in a tournament like this.“This is one of the biggest tournaments I have ever played in,” Hitchner said.DeZoort explained how being the youngest duo in the tournament works to their advantage and goes hand-in-hand with having something to prove. “I think that it is great that we are young and people may look at us and not think we will do as well, but that is the benefit in being the underdog,” DeZoort said.DeZoort and Hitchner said they feel a sense of nervousness advancing to the final day. Hitchner said the stakes are getting higher, but at least they can say they made it to the semifinals.Their game plan for today is to stay on the same track of putting well and taking advantage of those “gimme birdies” as they come.The final four team are DeZoort and Hitchner, Hunter Bronson and Brinson Holder, Bo Farlow and John Fulkerson, and last year’s champions, Tommy Coggin and Doug Davis.The semifinals will begin at 7:30 this morning and the surviving two teams will play in the afternoon for the championship.